It hadn’t happened for 100 years. The Republican family tore in the House on Tuesday with unsuccessful elected Conservatives to elect Kevin McCarthy as Speaker in the first round… Nor in the second, with 19 slingers. The deadlock could last: in 1856, it took two months and 133 votes for a Speaker to be elected.
1st round: 19 rebellious Republicans
With 222 elected Republicans, Kevin McCarthy could only lose 4 votes. But 19 challenged him in the first round, voting for the party’s right-wing candidate, Andy Biggs, or another elected official. The Democrats have all closed ranks, with 212 votes for Hakeem Jeffries, who succeeds Nancy Pelosi to lead his party in the House.
2nd round: Rebelotte, with 19 votes for Jim Jordan
We saw McCarthy in intense discussions with Jim Jordan. In this game of liar poker, Jordan, representing Ohio, played the good soldiers, trying to rally his troops behind McCarthy during a fiery speech. But in the process, Matt Gaetz named … Jim Jordan, accusing Kevin McCarthy of having “sold” his soul to lobbyists. Same player lose again: the 19 slingers all voted for Jordan. Now the Republicans have two options: organize a third round in stride or withdraw to negotiate and tear each other apart in private.
“I deserve” to be Speaker
Since November midterm elections, McCarthy cajoled the elected Trumpists of the Freedom Caucus, a group of about thirty ultra-conservative parliamentarians. He made multiple concessions, including promising that there will be no “blank check” to Ukraine and that a parliamentary committee would investigate Hunter Biden. But the tone rose during a last chance meeting on Tuesday morning. According to US media, McCarthy refused their final demands, shouting, “I deserve” the job of Speaker.
In theory, a coalition between Democrats and moderate Republicans around a centrist candidate is possible… But unlikely given the current divisions in Washington.